Increased maternal mortality in The Netherlands from group A streptococcal infections.
OBJECTIVE
To assess genital tract sepsis-related maternal mortality in The Netherlands during 1983-1992.


METHODS
A nationwide Confidential Enquiry into the causes of maternal death.


RESULTS
Genital tract sepsis-related maternal mortality during 1983-1987 was 0.11 per 100,000 live births (1/893,998) and 0.93 per 100,000 live births (9/968,990) during 1988-1992. The relative risk of dying due to sepsis in the second 5-year period as compared to the first period was 10.1 (1/72 versus 9/72 maternal deaths; 95% CI 1.3-82.3; P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Also in The Netherlands an increase of death due to genital tract sepsis has been observed since the 1980s.
Schuitemaker
N
N
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Diakonessenhuis, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
van Roosmalen
J
J
Dekker
G
G
van Dongen
P
P
van Geijn
H
H
Gravenhorst
J B
JB
D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death; D005831:Genital Diseases, Female / Q000382:microbiology; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009426:Netherlands; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000401:mortality; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000401:mortality*; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes